College of Science and Health > Academics > School of Nursing > Graduate Programs > RN to MS in Nursing (MSN) > Admission Requirements

RN to MSN Admission

Graduate Information Sessions

Please join us for an upcoming information session featuring the RN to MS program. Since this is an online program, information sessions are held online and at the Lincoln Park Campus.

General Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are dependent on the student's educational background.

    • Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a ACEN,CNEA, or CCNE accredited nursing program; or hold an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field from an ACEN or CNEA accredited nursing program.

    • Provide proof of a current unencumbered RN license in the state in which you will complete your clinical practicum.

    • Minimum 2.75 GPA

    • Be able to provide proof of completing the following prerequisite courses with a grade of 'C' or better: Statistics

    • Hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing from an ACEN orCNEA accredited nursing program.

    • Provide proof of a current unencumbered RN license in the state in which you will complete your clinical practicum.

    • Minimum 2.75 GPA

    • Be able to provide proof of completing the following prerequisite courses with a grade of 'C' or better: Statistics

Prospective students: This program is not available to students who plan to complete their clinical practicum in any of the following states: Arizona, California, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, and Washington. In addition, if you plan to obtain your advanced practice licensure outside of Illinois after graduation from this program, we urge you to contact your state’s licensing agency to confirm restrictions and requirements unique to your state before beginning an online nursing program. 

Online applications can be submitted at www.depaul.edu/apply or through NursingCAS, the centralized application service for nursing programs nationwide. See below for additional instructions on each.

Applications will be continuously reviewed although it is recommended applicants submit their application six weeks prior to the term they wish to enter. Available entry terms are fall, winter, spring, and summer.

    • Submit the DePaul online application at www.depaul.edu/apply
    • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to the Office of Graduate Admission at the address below. (Colleges and universities that issue official electronic transcripts can email them to cshgrad@depaul.edu.)
    • Personal statement (two to three pages) that answers the following questions:
    • Why do you want to pursue a master’s degree in nursing at DePaul University?
    • How will this program further your academic and professional goals?
    • Proof of unencumbered RN license
    • Two letters of reference from former faculty or employers
    • Curriculum vitae or resume
    • Please include professional activities (i.e. organizational memberships, committee memberships, officer positions, etc.) and community service activities.
    • Pay the $40 application fee through the online application or mail a check made out to DePaul University to the Office of Graduate Admission at the address below. 
    • If required, submit your TOEFL score directly from ETS. DePaul’s institution code is 1165.

Mailing address:

The Office of Graduate Admission
College of Science and Health
DePaul University
2400 N. Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614-2215

Applying through NursingCAS allows you to submit your application to DePaul and other institutions nationwide through one centralized application. NursingCAS also verifies your academic credentials on behalf of DePaul.

  • Visit https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/, choose the term for which you are applying, and click "Apply" to initiate your application.
  • Click on “Create Account” and complete the required fields.
  • Information in the "Personal Information", "Academic History", and "Supporting Information" tiles are accessible by any school you apply to.
  • In the "Program Materials" section you will find the DePaul University-specific requirements.  Answer the questions, upload the required documents, and request at least two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources.
  • Submit official transcripts from each college or university attended. All official transcripts must be mailed from the issuing institution’s registrar’s office directly to NursingCAS. In order to expedite the processing be sure to include the Transcript Request Form. 

Note: You must input all of your college level coursework into the NursingCAS application. Be sure to have a copy of your transcript(s) in hand or accessible in order to complete this section. All college level coursework (including in-progress coursework) must be entered into the application in this section. This will be the most time-consuming aspect of the application process.

If you would rather have NursingCAS staff enter in your coursework data on your behalf then you have the option of paying an additional fee to use the Coursework Entry Service. The data entered into this section is used to calculate GPAs in order to make admission decisions.

  • Transcripts from international institutions must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service, DePaul University and NursingCAS both accept Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) so this is the recommended evaluation service for international applicants who wish to apply to DePaul using the NursingCAS application. International credit evaluations should be mailed to NursingCAS at the address above.
  • If required to submit a TOEFL score, you should report your score in the “Tests” section of the NursingCAS application. Have your official score sent directly from ETS to DePaul. DePaul’s institution code is 1165.

Use the Quick Status Menu while logged into your NursingCAS application to check to see if your transcripts have been received. You can also use the Quick Status Menu to check to see if your references have been submitted.

Questions about NursingCAS

For questions regarding the NursingCAS application please contact NursingCAS support- various ways to contact them are on this page. Get started by reviewing the NursingCAS Quick Start Guide here.

Monitor the Status of Your Application

You have sent the requests for your references and transcripts, what is next? Within NursingCAS you can review the status of your application, references, and transcripts directly from the application. The Check Status page will help you track your status.

As you progress through the application process, you’ll receive important notifications and critical alerts. Applicants are responsible for monitoring these notifications and following up on any required actions. To view your notifications, click View My Notifications on the left side of the application dashboard. 

More information on checking your NursingCAS application status is on this page.

Note on Prerequisites

*One statistics course with a grade of "C" or better must be completed and documented by submitting an official transcript showing the grade before a student can begin the program. The statistics course does not need to be completed before applying for admission for students with an ADN only. For all other applicants, the statistics course must be completed before applying.

International Students

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S.) must take additional steps to be considered for admission. Please visit International Student Admissions for details. Please note that students requiring an F-1 visa are not eligible for this program.

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If you need assistance to complete your application and/or have questions, contact the CSH Graduate Admission office at (773) 325-7315 or cshgrad@depaul.edu.